The Indonesian government has asked India to hand over five infant orangutans rescued from a forest in Odisha’s Balasore district three days ago, the country’s forestry ministry told AFP on Friday.The orangutans were allegedly trafficked to India. The state forest department has launched a criminal investigation.The critically endangered animals were rescued from Bichitrapur forest on Tuesday and taken to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.VIDEO | Odisha: In a rare and heartening development, five baby orangutans rescued from a forest in Balasore district have been spotted playing and posing inside Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar.At the zoo, the young orangutans are reportedly adjusting well. Kept in… pic.twitter.com/OOr6OOPhLu— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 10, 2026
The five infant orangutans appear to be of Sumatran origin, AFP quoted the Indonesian forestry ministry as saying. DNA tests will be conducted to confirm their origin.International commercial trade in orangutans is prohibited under Cites, the global agreement governing trade in endangered wildlife. The animals are also protected under Indian wildlife laws.Orangutans are trafficked for sale as exotic pets and to private collectors.Meanwhile, the Odisha government is awaiting permission from the Central Zoo Authority to keep the five orangutans at Nandankanan, The Indian Express reported.The animals have been quarantined in a temperature-controlled room and are being gradually acclimatised to the environment, a zoo official was quoted as saying.Edited by Nachiket Deuskar.Also read: A border district in Mizoram has become a hub of wildlife smuggling in India
